20 Years and Still Waiting: The Broken Promise of the Australian Wool Industry
Leading animal welfare organisations launch new report ‘The Broken Promise’, and unite with wool growers in demand for overdue action to end live lamb cutting
Lack of leadership, vested interests and wasted tax-payer funds have led to Australia falling behind global standards and remaining the only country to still practice live lamb cutting (also known as mulesing), despite industry commitments to end the practice over two decades ago.
The Australian Alliance for Animals, FOUR PAWS and Humane Society International Australia have joined forces to call out systemic issues within the wool industry in a new published report, The Broken Promise: The Australian wool industry’s failure to end live lamb cutting, and why government must step in, echoing concerns raised by segments of wool growers themselves on the lack of leadership in changing times.
In 2004, Australian wool industry leaders unanimously committed to phasing out live lamb cutting by 2010, in response to international criticism and the threat of a retailer boycott. In 2009, however, just one year before the deadline, the industry abandoned this promise.
Now 20 years on from the initial promise, Australia remains the only country still practising live lamb cutting, tarnishing our international reputation and leaving wool producers vulnerable to market disruption as hundreds of fashion brands commit to no longer using wool from live lamb cut sheep. It is estimated that 140 million lambs have experienced the mutilation since 2010 as a result of the broken promise.
"For decades, Australian wool industry peak bodies have failed to show effective leadership on the issue of mulesing. It is evident that they are inherently incapable of steering the industry away from this practice, primarily due to conflicts of interest. Additionally, they have squandered both wool grower and taxpayer funds in their attempts to find a solution to flystrike, despite the availability of a viable solution for over 20 years." said Don Mudford, NSW wool grower, Parkdale Merino.
“Due to industry breaking its promise, an estimated 140 million lambs have been subjected to live lamb cutting in Australia, causing immense and avoidable suffering. Our report provides strong evidence as to how the wool industry’s peak bodies have clearly and consistently demonstrated their inability to lead a phase-out of this brutal practice. It’s vital government steps in to end live lamb cutting once and for all.” said Jessica Medcalf, Head of Animal Welfare in Fashion at FOUR PAWS.
The report features insights from wool growers who have taken the lead on their own and are successfully breeding flystrike-resistant sheep as a humane and effective solution, offering full body protection from fly strike. This ends their need to use live lamb cutting, which is viewed as a cheap and fast way to prevent flystrike, but is out-of-date, inflicts animal suffering, and is fast becoming a non-negotiable issue for many brands sourcing wool.
“Millions of dollars in producer and taxpayer funds have already been wasted on failed alternatives, while the proven solution of breeding flystrike-resistant sheep has been overlooked. The wool industry is failing both the Australian public and international consumers who expect better welfare standards for sheep,” said Dr Jed Goodfellow, Policy Director at the Australian Alliance for Animals.
These peak bodies are heavily influenced by wool producers who continue to practice live lamb cutting, many who show no signs of stopping. These vested interests and a lack of clear leadership mean that a phase-out has not been adequately led by the industry, and it’s highly unlikely that it ever will be.
“If the Australian wool industry had taken the lead two decades ago, the problems of flystrike and live lamb cutting could largely have been solved by now and spared more than 140 million lambs from pain and suffering. Two thirds of Australians agree that governments should require a phase out of live lamb cutting (Independent polling by Pureprofile, commissioned by HSI Australia in 2023). Animal protection organisations have lost faith in the industry's ability to act independently and are calling on governments to step in and legislate a phase out,” said Georgie Dolphin, Animal Welfare Campaigner at Humane Society International Australia.
The three organisations will now be taking the report findings to state agricultural ministers to lobby for decisive action. RSPCA Australia supports the recommendations within the report.
With over 330 brands now sourcing at least a portion of their wool as certified live lamb cut free (non-mulesed) or having made a time bound commitment to do so, the public sentiment is clear. Almost 90 brands including Adidas, Hugo Boss, Zara and Mango are also taking it a step further, by publicly signing FOUR PAWS Brand Letter of Intent calling on the Australian wool industry to make the transition. Should they not be able to get supply from Australia they will go elsewhere, and some are.
It’s time for growers to be steered in the right direction to align with what the community wants, and for the sake of the 10 million lambs that suffer annually.
Supporting quotes featured in report
Australian wool growers:
“Australia is the only country left where mulesing is still legal and that is a very sad state of affairs.” Mark Murphy, Queensland wool producer.
“It is well established from both research and everyday observation that heavily wrinkled sheep are much more likely to be struck, if for no other reason than the retention of skin moisture within the wrinkles.” Andrew Greenwood, Principal, Eildon Springs Superfine and Fine Wool Merino Stud.
"Society moves, and we have to move with it." Ian Trevethan, wool producer.
“The market for wool has completely changed from what it was 50 or 100 years ago. The future will involve looking at the market first, and the market overall is looking for a product that’s ethically produced, that’s sustainable, and sees people doing, and attempting to do, the right thing by their animals, their land and their people.” Australian wool producer, Doug Wright.
Brands:
"…we are facing special requests from our clients for fabrics to be not made of mulesed wool and also [wool that isn't] Aussie. That is because of the mulesing issue. The market, especially from the [United] States, is asking for non-mulesed wool." Davide Fontaneto, European wool buyer.
“Unfortunately, some of the wool qualities we’re after are still not widely available as certified non-mulesed, which is why we have also decided to incorporate the use of recycled wool to expand our portfolio of sustainably sourced wool.’ Jennifer Lui, Vice President of Public Relations and Sustainability, Esprit.
Industry:
“Europe thinks mulesing is a barbaric activity and the reality is that painkillers are not going to cut it.” — Su McCluskey, Australia’s special representative for agriculture speaking at the Queensland Rural Press Club in 2023
"The power of selection and breeding to improve livestock welfare is enormous, it is a win:win for farmers and the animals, lower cost production systems and happier and healthier livestock. A great example is the breeders who have successfully bred away from the need for mulesing and reduced the incidence of flystrike. This is just the beginning of the tools we have to select healthier animals, and they are getting better all the time." Mark Ferguson, livestock consultant, Next-Gen AgriFor media requests:
BACKGROUND POINTS
The Australian Alliance for Animals, FOUR PAWS, Humane Society International Australia, and RSPCA Australia are united in their opposition to live lamb cutting (also known as mulesing) and are working to end this practice, promoting the use of genetics to breed sheep that are naturally resistant to flystrike. Our efforts on this issue aim to successfully prevent flystrike and promote the humane treatment of Australian animals.
NOTES FOR MEDIA
For all media, photo and interview inquiries, please contact
Australian Alliance for Animals
Jed Goodfellow
M +61 0426 025 329
E: media@allianceforanimals.org.au
FOUR PAWS Australia
Elise Burgess
Head of Communications
M: +61 0423 873 382
E: elise.burgess@four-paws.org
Humane Society International Australia
Matthew Smeal
Head of Communications
M: +61 0434 483 493
E: msmeal@hsi.org.au
About the Australian Alliance for Animals
The Australian Alliance for Animals is a national registered charity leading a strategic alliance of Australia’s key animal protection organisations with a combined supporter base of over 2 million people across the country. Learn more by visiting our website at www.allianceforanimals.org.au.